The Regulation Matters: working for the welfare of children campaign is lobbying the Government to include nannies, maternity nurses, doulas and au pairs with childminders in the requirements for registration and regulation, under the general umbrella of ‘home childcare.’
Their call follows a report by the education and childcare minister Elizabeth Truss, in which the MP proposed relaxing ratios for childminders and lifting restrictions on informal care, and the launch of the Childcare Commission consultation that will look at ways to reduce childcare costs.
The campaign group, comprising of The Association of Nanny Agencies, British Association of Professional Nannies, Chiltern College, Morton Michel, Nannytax, Norland College, The Recruitment and Employment Confederation and Voice, the union for education professionals, is also encouraging parents to employ only registered childcarers.
Tricia Pritchard, Voice senior professional officer, who is chairing the campaign, said, ‘It is our understanding that the coalition Government is looking to remove what it sees as ‘red tape’ and to effectively de-regulate provision where it can.
‘We are extremely concerned that the driver for reform is cost-cutting and not improved quality and safeguarding. The Government’s main focus appears to be making savings on its investment of £7 billion a year on childcare support.
‘It is our view that childcare is a safeguarding issue and therefore de-regulation of any kind would be a backward step. We would go further. We believe that the current regulatory framework should be widened to include nannies and all home childcare provision, and that no child should be put at risk by a cost-cutting exercise.
‘It is ludicrous that the Government should be looking at de-regulating the services provided to the most vulnerable in society - babies, toddlers and young children.’
